Self-object

The term self-object goes back to Heinz Kohut (1913–1981), in whose self-psychology it represents an essential element for the formation and maintenance of the self-esteem of an individual .

To understand the term

The concept of a “self-object” may at first glance be seen as contradicting itself, as we often understand an “object” to be an object as it is conveyed to us through sensory perception in the outside world . The idea of ​​an inner space of one's own self appears to be incompatible with the formation of a compound from “self” and “object”. Karl Jaspers (1883–1969) coined the concept of the subject-object split as it is fundamental for everyday understanding and presupposes the separation of the two areas.

Kohut differentiated mainly two forms of self-objects:

1. reflective self-objects
2. idealized self-objects

• To 1. A person's self-esteem arises, grows and stabilizes through the experience of recognition, affirmation, affection or admiration. Objects that enable an individual to have such positive experiences are called self-objects. First of all, these are people; but also objects or symbols such as certificates, honors, etc. can develop a self-object function for a person's self . These are reflective self-objects according to Kohut. Kohut called the self-confidence of the child developing in this way , the great self , because the child obviously perceives the attention received from outside as an increase in his or her size and perfection, or because feelings of vitality, infallibility and omnipotence are activated through this positive mirror transmission ( primary narcissism according to Sigmund Freud ). The term mirroring in psychology was already used by Jacques Lacan (1901–1981) before Heinz Kohut to mark an early stage of development. The concept of reflection goes back to the ancient myth of Narcissus .

• To 2. Conversely, the child similar positive feelings can on its surroundings transferred as it would like to one's self confirmatory caregivers also idealized as overpowering and infallible and look up to them. These are idealized self-objects according to Kohut.

Although the presence of reliable self-objects is essential for building a stable sense of self-worth, especially in childhood, a person remains dependent on a "matrix" of self-objects throughout his life. He needs self-objects for his psychological survival, just as he needs oxygen for his physiological survival Survival needs. ”In other words, self-objects serve to maintain the narcissistic homeostasis of an individual throughout their life .

Since it is basically not so much the objects per se that influence a subject's self-esteem , but rather their function, namely to enable the individual to experience self-esteem- relevant experiences, Kohut mainly uses the terms self-object function or self-object experience and less often the ( simplistic) isolated concept of self-object.

Developmental aspects

In his self-psychology, Kohut takes the view that the development of the child's self depends on the “self-object milieu” surrounding it. For example, if the child experiences constant appreciation from the parents, this self-object experience can help the child develop a sense of a valuable self. Conversely, a fragile sense of self-worth can arise when a toddler does not find sufficiently positive self-objects in his or her family environment, as is the case, for example, with indifferent or negative mothers or fathers. In such an environment, the child is more likely to develop a narcissistic disorder in later adulthood , which is reflected, among other things, in a constant reliance on affirming self-objects or self-object experiences. Such people are then more lifelong than others dependent on the affirmation and appreciation of their environment, and they go to great lengths to obtain narcissistic gratuities through self-objects without their being aware of this excessive need. Psychotherapy can be helpful in reducing this pathological (and unconscious ) dependence on self-object experiences to a healthy level .

Psychotherapeutic aspects

Kohut developed a technique for treating people with self-object deficits suffered in early childhood. In his view, the psychotherapist must be available to the patient in the first phase of such therapy as an almost unrestricted positive self-object until the patient is able to consciously experience his dependence on this (and other) self-object experiences without shame. This can be a lengthy process because the actually salutary admission of addiction as a danger to the already fragile self of the patient is feared and avoided. If the therapeutic process succeeds, however, the patient can gradually not only recognize his continuing need for self-object experiences, but also mourn and ultimately reduce it to a healthier level, which enables him to be more independent of the constant confirmation by the self-objects. Since Kohut's self-psychology is based on and extends the teaching of psychoanalysis , the type of psychotherapy described is mainly carried out by depth psychologists, even if it is partially incompatible with the treatment principles of classical psychoanalysis. Although Kohut and his self-psychology belong to the psychodynamic therapy camp in their self-image, there are substantial overlaps with the theory and therapy practice of Carl Rogers' client-centered conversation psychotherapy, which developed over a similar period of time and also focuses on the self and self-actualization. A purely Kohut-oriented self-psychological therapy planning does not currently seem to be in line with German psychotherapy guidelines, which still prescribe a predominantly conflict-centered approach for psychotherapy based on depth psychology (Faber, Haarstrick. Commentary on psychotherapy guidelines, 9th edition, Urban & Fischer, Munich 2012), and is more likely to be rejected in the application in the expert review process.

literature

• Peter Kutter: Self Psychology, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart, 1989
• Otto F. Kernberg & Hans-Peter Hartmann: Narzissmus, Schattauer, Stuttgart, 2006
• Ernest S. Wolf: Theory and Practice of Psychoanalytic Self-Psychology: Suhrkamp, ​​Frankfurt am Main, 1996
• Faber F.-R., Haarstrick R .: Commentary on Psychotherapy Guidelines, 9th edition, Urban & Fischer, Munich, 2012

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Stavros Mentzos : Neurotic Conflict Processing. Introduction to the psychoanalytic theory of neuroses, taking into account more recent perspectives. © 1982 Kindler, Fischer-Taschenbuch, Frankfurt 1992, ISBN 3-596-42239-6 ; Re. "Self-objects": p. 143.
2. ↑ Karl Jaspers : Introduction to Philosophy . R. Piper, Munich ²⁵ 1986, [ ¹ 1953], new edition 1971, ISBN 3-492-10013-9 ; Re. “Subject-object split”: p. 25.
3. ^ ^{A b} Heinz Kohut : The Analysis of the Self . A Systematic Approach to the Psychoanalytic Treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorders. © by International University Press, Inc. New York 1971; German: narcissism . A theory of the psychoanalytic treatment of narcissistic personality disorders. Suhrkamp stw 157, Frankfurt / Main 1973; ISBN 3-518-27757-X ; (a) Re. “Reflecting Self-Objects”: pp. 129–230; (b) Re. “Idealized Self-Objects”: pp. 57–125.
4. ^ Heinz Kohut : Reflections on advances in self psychology . In: Goldberg, A. (ed) Advances in Self Psychology. Madison, CO: International Universities Press; Pp. 473-554.

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